MALE, Maldives (AP) — Maldivian authorities conducted a high-risk search Friday for the bodies of four Italian divers who died in a scuba accident in a deep underwater cave a day before. The body of a fifth diver was recovered Thursday, local officials said.
Italy’s Foreign Ministry said the group “apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 meters" (164 feet) in the Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. It said that the cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
The dead were Monica Montefalcone, an associate ecology professor at the University of Genoa, and her daughter Giorgia, as well as marine biologist Federico Gualtieri and researcher Muriel Oddenino, according to statements from Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology and Genoa university. The statement by the institute said the fifth victim was diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.
The institute expressed “deep condolences” to their families and colleagues.
The five divers were believed to have been exploring the cave when they went missing, according to Maldivian presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef.
“The cave is so deep that divers even with the best equipment do not try to approach,” he said.
Cave diving is a dangerous and highly technical form of diving that requires specialized equipment and training, and strict adherence to very specific safety protocols. Even entering underwater caves located in shallow depths can pose significant risks.
Maldivian authorities launched a major search operation, deploying boats, aircraft and dive teams to the area.
Rescuers recovered one body from about 60 meters (200 feet) below the surface Thursday, while the remaining four divers were believed to be inside the cave, officials said.
The group had been on a morning dive near Alimathaa and was reported missing after failing to surface by midday Thursday, with weather conditions described as unfavorable at the time.
Search teams were preparing a second dive Friday to assess access to the cave, though rough weather could delay operations. The Italian Foreign Ministry said an Italian expert was assisting Maldivian coast guard crews, and Italy’s ambassador to Sri Lanka — who also covers the Maldives — was on a search vessel as local authorities considered whether to seek international assistance.
The Italian ministry said about 20 other Italians who had been on the same expedition aboard a vessel named the Duke of York were safe, with no injuries reported. Italy’s embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.
The vessel was searching for safe harbor from poor weather conditions, and was waiting for conditions to improve before returning to Male, the ministry said.
The ministry added it was also coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving insurance group that could support recovery operations with technical expertise and assist with the repatriation of the bodies.
Italian officials and the honorary consul remained in contact with the victims’ families to provide assistance.
Zampano reported from Rome. Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi and Krishan Francis in Colombo contributed to this report.
FILE - A jetty is seen on a resort on Male Attol in Maldives, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, file)
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — In a bold new advertising campaign, the government in the Mexican state of Nuevo León is extending a spirited invitation to South Korea fans: Come home to Monterrey for the World Cup.
For many, such a trip won’t just be a sports junket; it will be a family reunion.
The ties between the two distant lands are etched into the very skyline of the region. In the bustling municipalities of Apodaca and Pesquería, which hug the borders of Monterrey, South Korean industry has become the heartbeat of the local economy.
The transformation began in 2006 when LG Electronics established its appliance stronghold in Apodaca, planting the first seeds of a cross-continental partnership. A decade later, the stakes were raised when KIA Motors arrived in Pesquería.
The impact on Pesquería was nothing short of miraculous. Once a quiet, sun-baked agricultural town where life moved at the pace of a harvest, the arrival of the massive automotive plant transformed it almost overnight into a high-tech global industrial hub. This metamorphosis earned the area the affectionate nickname “Pes-korea.”
Estimating the number of South Koreans currently living near Monterrey is complicated. Citizens of that country don’t need visas, and the number fluctuates. The honorary consul of South Korea in Monterrey, Gregorio Canales, estimates there are about 5,000.
“South Korea is the second largest investor in Nuevo León, larger than Canada and only surpassed by the United States. For Monterrey, the Korean manufacturing sector is very important,” Canales told the Associated Press.
With many South Koreans working in Pesqueria, Apodaca and Monterrey, the landscape has changed to accommodate the new residents. Big supermarket chains like Soriana, a Mexican version of Walmart, has signs in both Spanish and Korean, there are authentic K-BBQ restaurants, Korean grocery stores and more.
“Monterrey has traditionally had little immigration from other countries, which is why you see so many Koreans,” Canales said. “I know of many Korean restaurants, temples and a very important church, Our Lady of Fatima, where they hold Mass in Korean once a week. They feel comfortable and happy here.”
The arrival of the Koreans motivated local entrepreneurs to try to take advantage of that market, including some small businesses like Mario Alberto Cantú, who owns a tire repair shop in downtown Pesquería with signs in Spanish and Korean. ,He estimates that nearly half his costumers are Koreans.
“When I started the business, I decided to incorporate part of their language, putting up the sign “Tire Sales” so they would feel included and know that there is a service for them and provide a business they could understand in their language,” Cantú said. “At first, we were all surprised and felt uncomfortable, but we need to adapt to them because they are already here."
The local South Koreans have also adapted over the years, and some have learned even Mexican slang.
“Now they speak a lot of Spanish, a lot of Mexican slang, they know how to swear, it’s surprising that many of them speak Spanish without any problem,” Cantú said.
Estimating the number of Koreans in Monterrey is also difficult because many stay after finishing their factory jobs.
“There are many cases of people who got married and stayed; the Mexican lifestyle suits them well. I’ve met many of them who retire from their formal jobs and come to live in Monterrey. They prefer to continue living here rather than return to Korea.” added Canales.
The government’s campaign to invite South Korea fans is a masterstroke of timing. There is a deep-seated “football debt” between the two nations that residents haven’t forgotten.
During the 2018 World Cup, South Korea defeated Germany, which allowed Mexico to advance to the knockout stage. In Monterrey, fans famously marched to the South Korean consulate to celebrate, chanting “Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano (Korean brother, you are now Mexican)!"
In addition, the Cuauhtémoc brewery, which is based in Monterrey, sent hundreds of boxes to the KIA plant to say thank you.
“We had a beer truck out here, and that was a very, very thoughtful gesture, something you don’t see often," said Rafael Medrano, the head of Human Resources at KIA. "I had never experienced anything like that before, and I think it was something that surprised everyone who was here at that moment, and we were left with an experience we can share with great joy.”
The arrival of the World Cup in Monterrey will not go unnoticed at the KIA factory. Although only 15% of the 2,500 employees are South Korean citizens, the company plans to hold several activities for match days, especially when South Korea faces South Africa on June 24. Since KIA is an official World Cup sponsor, the human resources department will distribute tickets to employees for matches not only in Mexico but also for the semifinals and the final.
“People are very excited. I see a lot of enthusiasm for the World Cup. We had the opportunity to acquire some tickets so we could also give our colleagues access to important matches,” added the 43 year-old Medrano.
In addition to the match in Monterrey, the South Koreans will have their other two first-round matches in Guadalajara, another Mexican host site in the World Cup, where they will face Mexico and Czechia.
“The Koreans are very, very excited to see their team play here. I don’t know if the enthusiasm of us Mexicans is also contagious with the other culture that interacts in this plant,” Medrano said.
According to the tourism minister in Nuevo Leon, Maricarmen Martinez, over 112,000 South Korean visitors traveled to Mexico in 2025 and they are expecting that number to grow with the World Cup.
The office announced a “Korea Week” in Monterrey during June to accommodate the expected influx and when South Korea plays South Africa in Monterrey, the atmosphere will likely feel like a “home game” for the Taeguk Warriors. The Monterrey stadium won’t just be filled with visitors, but with thousands of local residents who call both Seoul and Monterrey home.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
A replica of the UEFA Champions trophy is displayed next to clocks with the local time and Korea time at the Kia motors headquarters in Pesqueria, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (APPhoto/Fernando Llano)
Employees leave the administrative offices at the KIA Motors plant in Pesqueria, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (APPhoto/Fernando Llano)
Customers dine in a Korean restaurant in Pesqueria, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (APPhoto/Fernando Llano)
Customers arrive to a Koran restaurant in Pesqueria, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (APPhoto/Fernando Llano)
Small business owner Mario Alberto Cantú stands outside his tire repair shop, with words in both Spanish and Korean displayed across the storefront in Pesqueria, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
